Display-rack.



H. FELDMAN.

DISPLAY RACK, APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1909.

Patented July 5, 1910.

HARRY E. FELDMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DISPLAY-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Application filed September 4, 1909. Serial No. 516,177.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. FELDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in display-racks that are particularly designed for use by traveling salesmen, although it is applicable to other uses.

Traveling salesmen carrying lines of clothing, or similar articles, now generally display their goods in sample rooms in hotels and in other places by laying the articles out on tables provided for that purpose. Goods shown in this manner are not always displayed to the best advantage by reason of the light not striking them in the best manner, and, furthermore, such method of displaying them ordinarily necessitates the inspection of them by customers who are compelled to stand.

The objects of this invention are to produce a device that can be readily and quickly taken apart so as to be packed in a trunk and when so packed will occupy but very little space therein; that when removed from the trunk and put into use for displaying salesmens samples can be set up in any portion of the room desired; that can be adjusted so that the portion upon which the article of merchandise rests is in a horizontal position like a table top or can be set at any desired angle; that can be adjusted vertically to any required height, and that can also be adjusted lengthwise to suit the number of pieces of merchandise to be displayed. These objects I accomplish by the means shown in the drawings and hereinafter particularly described.

That which I believe to be new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved device, with that portion of the display-rack on which the goods to be shown are laid arranged in a horizontal position-one of the supporting standards being shown partly in section; Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the system of levers constituting the portion of the device upon which the goods to be displayed are lald; Fig. 3 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a detail, being a section taken at line 4c-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts are ndlcated by like reference characters,55 indicate two similar hollow standards, each secured at its lower end to a suitable base 6.

77 indicate posts, each telescoped into one of the standards 5 and preferably made in tubular form, as indicated by the sectional portlon of Fig. 1. I prefer making them tubular to make them lighter in weight. The upper end of each post 7, in the construction shown, is provided with an enlargement or head 8, the inner face of which 1s corrugated or roughened, as shown, to form one member of a clamp, as will be hereinafter described.

9 indicates the merchandise-supporting section of the device, which is formed of a series of levers pivoted one to another at their ends and centers on the well-known lazy-tongs principle. The ends of these merchandisesupporting sections are formed of rigid end-bars 10, to which the expansible lazy-tongs is connected through short links 11 pivotally connected to said endbars and the ends of the end levers of the lazy-tongs portion. Centrally and at the outer edge of each end-bar 10 is located a head 12 corresponding in size and shape to the heads 8 carried by the posts 7, such heads 12 having their outer faces corrugated or roughened to correspond with the corrugating or roughening of said heads 8. As shown in Fig. 1, a short screw projects outward from each head 12, over which screws 18 the heads 8 easily slip.

14 indicates thumb-nuts, one for each screw 18, and by means of which the head 8 can be tightened up firmly against the adjacent head 12.

As shown clearly in Fig. 1, there is a hole extending through each of the standards 5 near the upper end thereof, through which a pin 15 is adapted to be inserted, such pin also passing through one of a series of holes with which the telescoping post 7 is provided, as clearly shown in the sectional portion of Fig. 1. I have shown each of these pins 15 secured to a light chain 16 that in turn is secured to an eye 17 on the base 6. By so securing it the pin is always at hand ready for use.

18 indicates another chain secured at one end to an eye 19 on one of the bases 6 and adapted to have anyone of its links engage a hook 20 on the other base. r

In use the device will be set up, as shown in Fig. 1, with the posts 7 telescoped into the standards 5, being held therein at any desired height, as will be well understood, by the insertion of the pins 15 through the respective standards and posts. By having the posts in their lowermost position the goods to be displayed can be readily exam ined by a prospective customer while sitting, and particularly so if the said portion 9 be turned to stand at an angle, and such portion can be turned at any desired angle by simply loosening the thumb-nuts l4 sutficiently to permit a disengagement of the clamps formed by the two heads 8 and 12. Upon such disengagement the part 9 can be rotated into any desired position, the projecting screws 13 that extend out from the heads 12 serving as trunnions. l/Vhen the desired position has been reached, the thumbnuts are tightened up and the part 9 will then be held firmly in place. If it is deemed advisable to have the goods displayed at a greater height, this is readily accomplished by removing the pins 15 and drawing the posts 7 up to any desired extent, after which the pins will be reinserted to hold the posts in place. If there are but comparatively few goods to be displayed, the standards can be moved as close together as desired, the portion 9 contracting in length, as is well understood with devices of the lazy-tongs variety; and when a larger number of goods is to be displayed the device can be as easily extended. This is an advantageous feature inasmuch as there need never be at any time, if the salesman so desires, any blank or vacant space, but, on the contrary, he can so arrange the device that it is entirely covered by his goods, whether they amount to but a few pieces or a large number.

The provision of the chain 18 for connecting the two end portions together is of value in that it aids in making a more rigid structure and thus preventing any play incident to a slight looseness of fit that might exist between the various adjustable parts.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located standards, of a goodssupporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together and rotatably connected to said standards, and means for locking said member to said standards.

2. In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located standards, of a goodssupporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together and endbars pivotally connected with sald levers, means for movably connecting said end-bars to said standards, and means for locking said end-bars to said standards.

3. In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located standards, of a goodssupporting member comprising a serles of levers pivotally connected together and endbars pivotally connected with said levers, trunnions projecting from said end-bars and journaled in said standards, and means for locking said end-bars to said standards.

4. In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located standards, of a goods-supporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together and end-bars pivotally connected with said levers, a screw-threaded trunnion projecting from each end-bar, and a tightening nut on each trunnion.

5. In a display-rack, the combinationwith two oppositely-located standards, of a goodssupporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together, a twopart clamp at each end of said member, one of the parts of each clamp having means for.1 detachably engaging one of said stand ar s.

6. In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located hollow standards, of a goods-supporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together, a two part clamp carried by said member at each of its ends, one of the parts of each clamp having a stem fitting within the upper end of one of said hollow standards.

7 In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located standards each formed of two members telescoping one within the other, of a goods-supporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together and rotatably secured to the movable members of said telescopic standards.

8. In a display-rack, the combination with two oppositely-located standards each formed of two members telescoping one within the other, of a goods-supporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected together and end-bars pivotally connected with said levers, and means for rotatably connecting said end-bars to the mrvable members of said telescopic standar s.

9. In a display-rack,the' combination with two oppositely-located standards each formed of two members telescoping one within the other, the upper end of each movable member thereof having a head or enlargement that forms one portion of a clamp, of a goods-supporting member comprising a series of levers pivotally connected towithin the other, of a goods-supportinggether and end-bars pivotally connected with member comprising a series of levers pivsaid levers, a head or enlargement on each otally connected together and rotatably conend-bar cooperating with said first-mennected to the movable members of said tioned heads or enlargements to form standards, and a chain connecting the lower 15 clamps, and means for adjustably securing portions of said standards together.

the two parts of each clamp together. HARRY E. FELDMAN. 10. In a display-rack, the combination of Witnesses: two oppositely located standards each ALBERT H. ADAMS,

10 formed of two members telescoping one MINNJE A. HUNTER. 

